Joseph Arthur

Joseph Arthur’s music has been described as “a dynamic swirl of noise that somehow appears magically around him” (NPR), “emotional (but tuneful) exorcisms” (Entertainment Weekly), and “lush, poetic, squalling, spiritual, and strange. Just like life” (Boston Globe). Vanity Fair has hailed him as “one of our most emotionally revealing and talented singer-songwriters.” Michael Stipe once told the Los Angeles Times, “Jo is one of those rare writer-performers where you get the sense, whatever you believe, that something greater is being channeled through his music and voice…It touches something very deep and universal.”

“There’s nothing to do in the Midwest but dream,” sings Joseph Arthur on The Graduation Ceremony (Lonely Astronaut). Co-produced by John Alagia and Joseph, the release marks Arthur’s first solo album since Nuclear Daydream (2006) and follow up to Fistful of Mercy, his 2010 collaboration with Ben Harper and Dhani Harrison. “I wanted to make something simple,” says Joseph, who originally planned to release the project as a duo with the album’s drummer, the legendary Jim Keltner (Bob Dylan, John Lennon). The Graduation Ceremony began as a minimally produced, acoustic album of classic songwriting that grew to be an elegantly orchestrated, haunting body of work.

THE GRADUATION CEREMONY
Produced by: John Alagia & Joseph Arthur
Recorded by: Sheldon Gomberg at Carriage House LA and John Alagia at Village Recording
Mixed by: John Alagia at Village Recording / Mastered by: Scott Hull at Masterdisk

Jim Keltner: Drums
Joseph Arthur: Vocals, Guitars, Bass, Keys, Drums
John Alagia: Guitar, Bass, Keys
Jessy Greene: Violin
Sibyl Buck, Brian Cohen, Madi Diaz, Liz Phair: Backing Vocals